JAMES W. BLANTON II

James Wilson Blanton II, 56, passed away on Friday, Sept. 16, 2011, at Kitty Askins Hospice Center surrounded by family and friends after a short fight against cancer.

A service to remember James will be held today, Sept. 18, 2011, at 6 p.m. at the chapel of Seymour Funeral Home, with the Rev. Doug Radford and the Rev. Lewis Forsythe officiating. To honor his wishes, his family has donated his body to the School of Medicine at Duke University for cancer research.

James lived in Holland Hills in the Rosewood area but was born in Washington, DC, on Oct. 26, 1954, to Peggy Cooper Blanton and the late James Wilson Blanton. He worked for Piedmont Natural Gas for 33 years, where he helped organize the company golf tournament to benefit Relay for Life. James was a member of the Goldsboro Kiwanis Club. He was a brave man who had battled cancer courageously for the past few months. James's determination to let it be God's will was an inspiration to all who knew him.

James is survived by his wife, Brenda Hughes Blanton; his sons, James Robert Blanton and wife, Leigh Ann, and Christopher Blake Blanton; his grandchild, Kailyn Ruth Blanton; his sisters, Carol Pleasants of Greenville, Sharon Horton and husband, Lenwood, of Goldsboro and Dianne Capps of Winston-Salem; his nephews, Chad Horton and wife, Lauren, of Chocowinity and Michael Horton and wife, Susan, of Hertford; and two special pets, Cosmo and Dixie. He is also survived by his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Edward and Odessa Hughes of Fayetteville; his sisters- and brothers-in-law, Eddie Hughes and wife, Janice, James Hughes and wife, Renee, and Valerie Tallman and husband, Clay; and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Kitty Askins Hospice Center at 107 Handley Court, Goldsboro, NC 27534.

The family will receive friends today following the service and other times at the residence.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.seymourfuneralhome.com.